Method for cleaning cavities with a combined fluid delivering and aspirating instrument

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for cleansing a cavity with a combined fluid-delivering and aspirating instrument wherein nested hollow members are utilized having open ends adapted to enter a chamber or cavity such as a tooth cavity. The inner hollow member supplies fluids such as medicaments, antiseptics or other liquids to the tooth cavity from a suitable source and the outer hollow member aspirates material, including the liquid, blood and filings from the cavity. The outer hollow member is connected to a source of vacuum or an aspirating device and may include a separable tubular insert telescoped in the outer end of the outer hollow member. The inner hollow member is preferably in the form of a hypodermic needle or cannula which forms part of a reservoir constituting a source of fluid, e.g., the barrel of a hypodermic syringe. The outer hollow member or members are formed of a material such as a plastic composition which the needle may readily pierce or puncture and which is self-sealing to enable a fluid-tight seal at the puncture. The outer open ends of the tube and insert and the outer open end of the needle may be termed the working ends thereof. The hypodermic needle preferably extends slightly beyond the end of the outer hollow member into the cavity and is bent so that the upper end extends outwardly of the outer hollow member above the point where the end thereof enters the outer hollow member. It is unnecessary to otherwise fasten the hypodermic needle to the aspirating tube but, for integrity, this is preferably done. In any case, the arrangement is such that the outer hollow member and cannula are axially adjustable.

United States Patent [1 1 Kahn [ Mar. 18, 1975 METHOD FOR CLEANINGCAVITIES WITH A COMBINED FLUID DELIVERING AND ASPIRATING INSTRUMENTInventor: Henry Kahn, Highland Park, Ill.

[73] Assignee: KG Company, Chicago, Ill.

] Filed: Dec. 28, 1973 Appl. No.: 429,079

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 183,973,Sept. 27, 1971,

Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock [5 7] ABSTRACT The present inventionrelates to a method for cleansing a cavity with a combinedfluid-delivering and aspirating instrument wherein nested hollow membersare utilized having open ends adapted to enter a chamber or cavity suchas a tooth cavity. The inner hollow member supplies fluids such asmedicaments, antiseptics or other liquids to the tooth cavity from asuitable source and the outer hollow member aspirates material,including the liquid, blood and filings from the cavity. The outerhollow member is connected to a source of vacuum or an aspirating deviceand may include a separable tubular insert telescoped in the outer endof the outer hollow member. The inner hollow member is preferably in theform of a hypodermic needle or cannula which forms part of a reservoirconstituting a source of fluid, e.g., the barrel of a hypodermicsyringe. The outer hollow member or members are formed of a materialsuch as a plastic composition which the needle may readily pierce orpuncture and which is self-sealing to enable a fluid-tight seal at thepuncture. The outer open ends of the tube and insert and the outer openend of the needle may be termed the working ends thereof.

arrangement is such that the outer hollow member and cannula are axiallyadjustable.

8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 3,871 ,OSS

PATENTEU MAR] 81975 METHOD FOR CLEANING CAVITIES WITH A COMBINED FLUIDDELIVERING AND ASPIRATING INSTRUMENT This is a continuation, applicationSer. No. 183.973, filed 27 Sept. 71 and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the art of using hand-held dentalinstruments for delivering a fluid to a tooth cavity and aspirating thefluid and any other foreign matter, such as particles of bone, therefromand similar purposes, problems have been encountered in providing andusing a compact instrument which includes sterilizable parts capable ofbeing readily and cheaply replaced. The present invention provides ahand-held instrument satisfying these objectives.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART It has been proposed, as shown in US. Pat.No. 3,164,153, dated Jan. 5, 1965, particularly FIG. 5, to provide adental instrument wherein two tubular needles are joined at one end toenter a tooth cavity. One connects with a source of medicinal liquid andthe second with a source of vacuum to collect liquid and tooth fragmentsdrawn from the tooth cavity. However, such apparatus is cumbersome,occupies considerable space within the mouth of the patient and isdifficult to sterlize or readily provide with replaceable parts.

It has also been proposed in US. Pat. No. 3,208,145, dated Sept. 28,1965, to provide an aspirating handpiece with controls for vacuum, airand water, wherein the vacuum source is connected to one tube and theair and water sources are connected to other smaller tubes which aresecured to or lie along the side of the outer surface of the vacuumtube. This device is also spaceconsuming and is difficult to maintain ina sterile condition or to utilize replaceable, inexpensive parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention herein utilizes a tube of aplastic composition which is resilient but generally shape-retaining andself-sealing if punctured, e.g., polyethylene, the working end of which,or an extension thereof, is adapted to enter a cavity from whichmaterial is to be aspirated, such as a tooth cavity, and a hypodermicneedle or cannula passing through the wall of the tube and extendinginto the tube and also into the cavity for supplying fluids such asmedicinal or antiseptic liquids to the cavity. The smaller or extensiontube is to provide a reduced end for entrance to the cavity, but themain tube could, if desired, be formed with a reduced end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view of the dentalinstrument including a partial sectional view of a tooth of a patient,with the tube for conveying liquid to the cavity and for aspiratingmaterial therefrom positioned in the cavity.

FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged sectional view of the end of the tube andextension insert shown in FIG. 1, with the hypodermic needle shown inelevation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The novel dental instrument ofthis invention is used, for example, to supply medicinal or antisepticfluid or the like to a cavity 12 in a tooth ll of a patient.

An aspirating tube 14 is provided and is connected by a nipple 15 to asource of vacuum or an aspirator source 10. The tube 14 is preferablyformed of a plastic composition, having the characteristics mentionedabove, e.g., polyethylene. A tubular insert or extension 16, preferablyformed of a resilient material capable of being sterilized, e.g.,Teflon, is a press fit into the working end ofthe tube 14 (FIG. 2). Thisreduction in diameter is for convenience of introduction into thecavity. Alternatively, the insert may be omitted and the lower end ofthe tube 14 may be reduced in diameter. However, the inserted piece 16is preferred since, by so doing, commonly available stock tubing may beemployed for both pieces and sterilization simplified. The distal end ofthe insert 16 is adapted to extend into the tooth cavity 12.

In order to supply liquids, such as medicinal fluids or antisepticfluids (although gas or air could also be supplied) a hypodermic syringe17 is utilized. The syringe is of standard construction and includes abarrel 18, a finger grip l9 and a plunger 20 having a piston 21 at thelower end thereof extending into the barrel 18 to force liquidtherefrom. The cannula 22, which is preferably bent at a fairly acuteangle to its axis, pierces the soft plastic tube 14, as best shown inFIG. 2, in fluid-tight sealing relationship therewith. In the operativeassembly, the needle extends slightly below the lower end of the tube 16into the tooth cavity 12. By making the end of the needle blunt, accessto the bottom of the tooth cavity' is rendered simpler. The method ofassembling the needle and aspirating tube allows vertical adjustmentthereof to accommodate to the geometry of the cavity. In this Way,liquid remaining in-the cavity at any one time may be regulated. Inconventional hypodermic syringes the cannula 22 is detachably secured bya quick disconnect member 24.

At this juncture it will have become apparent that the entire instrumentcomprises readily available parts which are readily assembled in amatter of minutes without the use of special tools. In operation theysyringe 17 is filled with the desired liquid and the tube 14 isconnected to the vacuum source which is under the control of theoperator as is well known. As liquid is supplied to the cavity throughthe cannula 22, the aspirating tube 14 will concurrently remove anyblood and other liquids and debris, such as tooth filings. By reason ofits inexpensive construction, the device is expendable. However, ifdesired, the apparatus may be sterilized and reused.

It will be apparent that the apparatus is very compact, may be insertedinto the mouth of the patient and into a tooth cavity very easily andwithout unduly discommoding the patient. The concentric arrangement ofaspirating tube and cannula enables entrance into a very small cavity.It is also clear that the instrument may be utilized in surgicalprocedures generally where irrigating and aspirating are to be performedconcurrently in a field having restricted accessibility.

What is claimed is:

1. A method particularly useful in dental and surgical procedures forcleansing a cavity by aspirating fluids and other materials from acavity and delivering fluids such as medicaments into said cavitycomprising inserting into the cavity the working end portion of aplastic suction tube of a self-sealing composition having memory whenpenetrated, the working end portion having the working end portion of ahypodermic needle which has been inserted through the wall of said tubeportion in fluid-sealing relationship interiorly positioned insubstantially coaxial relationship with the interior of said tubeportion, the working end portion of the needle having been bent at anacute angle to the needle axis so that the portion of the needleremaining outside the tube for the attachment of a hypodermic syringe isat an angle to said suction tube, attaching a hypodermic syringe filledwith the selected liquid to said needle, connecting the distal end ofsaid suction tube to a vacuum source and simultaneously, or in selectedindependent sequence, delivering the liquid from the syringe into thecavity and withdraw liquid and other matter from said cavity throughsaid suction tube.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the working end of the needleand the working end of the suction tube are vertically adjusted withreference to each other to accommodate the geometry of the cavity.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein a tubular extension is fittedinto the working end of said tube and the working end of said needle isinserted through said tube wall above said extension.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the extension is ofreadily-puncturable material and the needle pierces both the suctiontube and the extension.

5. A method particularly useful in dental and surgical procedures forcleansing a cavity by aspirating fluids and other materials from acavity and delivering fluids such as medicaments into said cavitycomprising inserting the working end portion of a hypodermic needlewhich is bent at an acute angle to its axis through the wall of aplastic suction tube adjacent the working end thereof in substantiallycoaxial relationship with the interior of said tube to define an annularpassageway therebetween, said tube being of a soft composition havingmemory which will form a fluid-tight seal when the tube wall ispenetrated by said needle, connecting the distal end of said tube to avacuum source, attaching a hypodermic syringe filled with the selectedfluid to said needle, inserting the working end portion of said tubewith the interiorly positioned needle into said cavity andsimultaneouly, or in selected independent sequence, delivering the fluidfrom the syringe through the needle into the cavity and withdrawingliquid and other matter from the cavity through the suction tube.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the working end of the needleand the working end of the suction tube are vertically adjusted withreference to each other to accommodate the geometry of the cavity.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein a tubular extension is fittedinto the working end of said tube and the working end of said needle isinserted through said tube wall above said extension.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the extension is ofreadily-puncturable material and the needle pierces both the suctiontube and the extension.

=l =l =l

1. A method particularly useful in dental and surgical procedures for cleansing a cavity by aspirating fluids and other materials from a cavity and delivering fluids such as medicaments into said cavity comprising inserting into the cavity the working end portion of a plastic suction tube of a self-sealing composition having memory when penetrated, the working end portion having the working end portion of a hypodermic needle which has been inserted through the wall of said tube portion in fluid-sealing relationship interiorly positioned in substantially coaxial relationship with the interior of said tube portion, the working end portion of the needle having been bent at an acute angle to the needle axis so that the portion of the needle remaining outside the tube for the attachment of a hypodermic syringe is at an angle to said suction tube, attaching a hypodermic syringe filled with the selected liquid to said needle, connecting the distal end of said suction tube to a vacuum source and simultaneously, or in selected independent sequence, delivering the liquid from the syringe into the cavity and withdraw liquid and other matter from said cavity through said suction tube.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the working end of the needle and the working end of the suction tube are vertically adjusted with reference to each other to accommodate the geometry of the cavity.
 3. The method according to claim 2 wherein a tubular extension is fitted into the working end of said tube and the working end of said needle is inserted through said tube wall above said extension.
 4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the extension is of readily-puncturable material and the needle pierces both the suction tube and the extension.
 5. A method particularly useful in dental and surgical procedures for cleansing a cavity by aspirating fluids and other materials from a cavity and delivering fluids such as medicaments into said cavity comprising inserting the working end portion of a hypodermic needle which is bent at an acute angle to its axis through the wall of a plastic suction tube adjacent the working end thereof in substantially coaxial relationship with the interior of said tube to define an annular passageway therebetween, said tube being of a soft composition having memory which will form a fluid-tight seal when the tube wall is penetrated by said needle, connecting the distal end of said tube to a vacuum source, attaching a hypodermic syringe filled with the selected fluid to said needle, inserting the working end portion of said tube with the interiorly positioned needle into said cavity and simultaneouly, or in selected independent sequence, delivering the fluid from the syringe through the needle into the cavity and withdrawing liquid and other matter from the cavity through the suction tube.
 6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the working end of the needle and the working end of the suction tube are vertically adjusted with reference to each other to accommodate the geometry of the cavity.
 7. The method according to claim 6 wherein a tubular extension is fitted into the working end of said tube and the working end of said needle is inserted through said tube wall above said extension.
 8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the extension is of readily-puncturable material and the needle pierces both the suction tube and the extension. 